Doha: President John Dramani Mahama has emphasized the role of education as a fundamental enabler for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Speaking at the 2025 Doha Forum under the theme 'Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress', he highlighted education's integral role in the realization of these global objectives.
According to Ghana News Agency, the United Nations' 17 SDGs, adopted in 2015, serve as a universal call to action to eradicate poverty, safeguard the planet, and ensure global peace and prosperity by 2030. President Mahama articulated that education is central not only to SDG 4, which focuses on quality education, but also to the attainment of all other goals. He stressed that without education, goals such as ending poverty (SDG 1), achieving good health and well-being (SDG 3), and attaining gender equality (SDG 5) remain unachievable.
President Mahama further stated that education is crucial for building decent work and economic growth, which is the focus of SDG 8. He also linked education to strengthening climate adaptation efforts (SDG 13) and securing peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16). Education, he noted, illuminates the path to every other goal by empowering individuals, fortifying institutions, and transforming nations.
He urged global leaders to prioritize just, equitable, and resilient education systems to foster a peaceful and prosperous world. The President also pointed out that the theme of the 2025 Doha Forum underscored the global nature of justice, emphasizing that education is a global public good. A lack of educational opportunities due to conflict or poverty, he argued, results in a loss of talent, innovation, and potential worldwide.
President Mahama outlined several commitments necessary for education to serve as a tool for justice during crises. These include safeguarding education budgets during economic downturns, integrating education into humanitarian responses, ensuring the safety of schools, and advancing digital inclusion through investments in infrastructure, devices, and teacher training. He also stressed the importance of supporting teachers and strengthening global partnerships.
Highlighting the need for education systems to evolve rapidly, President Mahama asserted that modern education must prepare young people for climate challenges, digital disruptions, democratic participation, societal contributions, and competition in a technology-driven global economy. Education, he said, must be transformational, equitable, and forward-looking.
In his closing remarks, President Mahama underlined that justice extends beyond courtrooms and into classrooms, where learning opportunities create hope and inspiration. He called on world leaders to prioritize education as their most significant investment and commitment to building a peaceful, equitable, and resilient world. He likened knowledge to a garden, stating, "If it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested," and appealed for the cultivation of justice through education, especially during crises, to achieve peace, prosperity, and shared humanity.